As first executive director and then senior director of news special events at ABC, Savalas became an executive producer for the "Gillette calvalcade of Sports", where he gave Howard Cosell his first job. Savalas first acted on the TV show "Armstrong Circle Theater" (1959) and then on the series "The Witness" as Lucky Luciano, where actor Burt Lancaster "discovered" him. Savalas was cast opposite Lancaster's idealistic D.A. in the melodrama "The Young Savages" (1961). He moved on to play a string of heavies, winning acclaim and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the sadistic Feto Gomez in "Birdman of Alcatraz" (1962). After portraying Pontius Pilate in "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1965), he chose to remain completely bald and this signature look, somewhere between the comic and the ominous, stood him in good stead in the years that followed.
Savalas was memorable in "The Dirty Dozen" (1967), the seminal ensemble action film by director Robert Aldrich, and reappeared as a different character in two TV movie reprisals. He also appeared as star in two classics, "Kelly's Heroes", and "The Scalphunter", a western that revealed the absurdity of racism during the Civil Rights movement. His career was transformed with the lead role in the celebrated TV-movie "The Marcus Nelson Murders" (CBS, 1973) where the pop culture icon of Theo Kojak was born. Savalas polished his hard-boiled image to a brilliant sheen over the long run of "Kojak" (CBS, 1973-78). During those years, he co-bought racehorse Telly's Pop, recorded many albums, including "Telly" (1974) and "Who Loves Ya, Baby" (1976) and directed and wrote the film "Beyond Reason" (1977). After the very popular series ended, Savalas reprised the Kojak persona in several Kojak-based TV-movies, furthering his public canonization. One of Savalas' brothers, George Savalas (known professionally for a time simply as 'Demosthenes') played one of Detective Kojak's staff of police officers on "Kojak". Throughout his life, Telly Savalas was a charismatic leader, creative writer, director, and producer. He won the Emmy, the Peabody, and Golden Globe Awards. In 1990, the city of New York declared "The Marcus-Nelson Murders" as the official movie of New York City, and awarded Telly with the Key to the City. He was also a strong contributor to his Greek Orthodox roots through the Saint Sophia and Saint Nicholas cathedrals in Los Angeles, and was the sponsor of bringing electricity in the '70's to his ancestral home, Yeraka, Greece. His mother, Christina, was a world recognized contemporary of Picasso, and he himself released several records, the most remembered was his version of "If", that was #1 in Europe for 10 weeks in 1975. http://savalas.tv/media/audio/
Many people do not know that Telly was a world-class poker player, degreed in psychology; a motorcycle racer, and lifeguard. He appeared in over 80 movies. In his capacity as Producer for "Kojak", he gave many stars their first break, as Burt Lancaster did for him. He was considered by those who knew him a generous, graceful, compassionate man, and will continue to be sorely missed. He is survived by 6 children, 4 grand-children, 2 brothers and a sister.
Free media, both audio and video, can be downloaded at Savalas.TV, the official Savalas family website, http://savalas.tv/.
if
Telly Savalas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Then why can't I paint you?
The words will never show
The you I've come to know
And if a face could launch a thousand ships
Then where am I to go?
There's no one home but you
And when my love for life is running dry
You come and pour yourself on me
If a man could be two places at one time
I'd be with you tomorrow and today
Beside you all the way
If the world should stop revolving
Spinning
Spinning slowly down to die
I'd spend the end with you
And when the world was through
Then one by one the stars would all go out
Then you and I would simply fly away
The lyrics of Telly Savalas's song "If" is a romantic ballad that speaks about the power of love and the depth of emotions shared in a relationship. The song starts with the metaphor "If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can't I paint you?" This line suggests that unlike a picture, that can convey a thousand words, the lyrics will never express the love and emotions that the singer feels for his lover. Additionally, the singer expresses that he knows and understands his partner better than any words can.
The song then transitions to the metaphor of a face that could launch a thousand ships. It emphasizes how the singer's lover is the center of his universe, and he sees her as a beautiful and unique creature. The image of launching ships suggests that the singer would go to great lengths to be with her, and there's no one else in the world except for her. Later in the song, the singer talks about how when his love for life is running dry, his lover is the one who pours life back into him. The lines "If the world should stop revolving, spinning slowly down to die, I'd spend the end with you, and when the world was through," suggest that the singer's love is strong enough to last even after the world has stopped spinning.
The final lines describe how the stars would go out, and they would simply fly away into the sky after the world's end. This imagery feels like escaping the mortal world and becoming one with the lover. It suggests that love is eternal, and the singer's love for his lover is powerful enough to transcend even death.
Overall, "If" is a beautiful and poetic song that speaks about the power of love and its ability to transform our inner world.
Line by Line Meaning
If a picture paints a thousand words
If an image can express a thousand emotions
Then why can't I paint you?
Then why am I unable to paint a picture of you?
The words will never show
Words fail to convey
The you I've come to know
The real you that I've discovered
And if a face could launch a thousand ships
And if a face could evoke a thousand emotions
Then where am I to go?
Then how do I navigate away from it?
There's no one home but you
You're the only one for me
You're all that's left me too
You're my only solace too
And when my love for life is running dry
And when I lose my zeal for life
You come and pour yourself on me
You fill me up with your love
If a man could be two places at one time
Wishing for the ability to be in two places
I'd be with you tomorrow and today
I'd always be with you, present and future
Beside you all the way
I'd never leave your side, always be there for you
If the world should stop revolving
In case the world stops moving
Spinning, spinning slowly down to die
Slowly coming to an end
I'd spend the end with you
I'd spend the last moments with you
And when the world was through
And when the world is over
Then one by one the stars would all go out
The stars would disappear one by one
Then you and I would simply fly away
Then we would both fly away together
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Gates
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cherokee16346
If a picture paints a thousand words
Then why can't I paint you?
The words will never show the you I've come to know
If a face could launch a thousand ships
Then where am I to go?
There's no one home but you
You're all that's left me to
And when my love for life is running dry
You come and pour yourself on me
If a man could be two places at one time
I'd be with you
Tomorrow and today, beside you all the way
If the world should stop revolving spinning slowly down to die
I'd spend the end with you
And when the world was through
Then one by one the stars would all go out
Then you and I would simply fly away
@lindabulsara2215
My love for Telly will never fade away. I still love Theo Kojak! ❤
@davefk
I loved his version of this song. I actually bought that record all those long 40 years ago. Listening now makes me sad and long for an era when I still had my parents, brother, aunts and uncles and not least friends, who are no longer alive.
@cassiesmum
Absolutely!!
@stevebbuk
+Dave Kelly Dave I'm in the same position. I seem to recall another version of this song with a montage but can't find it here.
@paulwelch1992
There was a different (earlier) version on the album 'Telly'
@saxyjones
This is really a joke version of the beautiful song originally written and performed by David Gates from the band Bread. Listen to the real version.
@georgethe100
magic words my friend brilliant
@FlorinPiersicJr1
To me it’s pure nostalgia. My mother had a little magnetophone, she recorded this song with a mic, I really think I listened to it for a thousand times. So glad I found it here.
@JP5466
The man... the myth... the LEGEND!
@mariumhawker7520
RIP Telly . Great Actor and Singer ❤